The Tech Effect: Are You In Control?

Today’s Topics

• How Technology Shapes Our Minds 🧠

• Widen Your Lens 📷

  3 Mins Read Time

How Technology Shapes Our Minds 🧠

By Jo

The rise of social media and its powerful algorithms has dramatically altered how we interact with technology. The Netflix documentary The Social Dilemma explores this in detail, showcasing how platforms like YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram are designed not just to engage users but to keep them hooked. The more time you spend on an app, the more advertisers benefit, and these companies have mastered the art of capturing your attention.

One of the most critical points raised in The Social Dilemma is how technology manipulates our choices by feeding us tailored content. Each click, search, or interaction shapes what you see next. This phenomenon, while seemingly harmless, is a form of brainwashing that targets the psyche, especially affecting individuals who may not be fully aware of its impact. For the "weak-minded," or those who are easily influenced, this can quickly lead to addiction or, worse, dangerous rabbit holes of misinformation or unhealthy content.

Consider YouTube as an example. You might start by watching a video on cars, sports, or DIY projects. After that, your entire feed gets flooded with similar videos. The platform's algorithm sees what you're interested in and delivers more of the same, trapping you in a bubble of specific content. While this may seem convenient, it also limits your exposure to new ideas and perspectives. Your digital world becomes an echo chamber, reflecting your previous choices without offering much diversity.

So, what can be done? Awareness is the first step. It’s essential to be mindful of the content you consume and how it shapes your thoughts and actions. Take a conscious approach to your media diet, much like you would with food. Ask yourself: Why am I being shown this content? What effect does it have on me? Am I actively choosing to engage with this, or am I being led by an algorithm?

The Social Dilemma exposes the darker side of modern technology. Our interactions with social media are not always as organic or harmless as they seem. By understanding how algorithms work and being mindful of what we engage with, we can regain control over our online experiences, rather than letting technology shape our reality.

Widen Your Lens 📷

By Marcus

Several years ago, I was scrolling through Facebook. I made the observation that most of my “friends” on Facebook were people from high school and college. By this time, I had been out of college for a couple of years. I continued to update my profile, see what other people were doing, and try to keep up with whatever features were added.

Over time, I began to feel like I was keeping up with people I no longer had a connection with. It began to seem like a competition, and people were “faking” happiness and success. I personally knew people who were 100% faking it, and I couldn’t understand why at the time.

I asked myself why continue this cycle? It was exhausting, and I felt like I invested so much time over the years with no real benefit. So, I saved all my pictures (the only real value) from my profile and deleted my Facebook account.

Looking back on it now, it freed up a lot of mental bandwidth and time. It’s crazy how something you think is adding value to your life is actually extracting your time and energy.

Self-Worth & Social Media

The evolution of social media over the past 20 years has had a major impact on our society. People will judge you because you have or don’t have a certain number of followers. One of my favorite responses I hear from people is, “You don’t have a “{insert your favorite social media here}” account!!??”

If your income is based around social media, I think that’s a different story. However, to attribute someone’s worth purely based on a social media presence is a strange concept.

To make a long story short, your value to yourself and the important people in your life is perhaps the greatest measurement of your personal worth.

Tool or Entertainment?

I do have social media accounts on a few platforms, but they are used mostly for business, education, and networking. Part of the evolution of social media is that it went from a purely “social experience” and is now a news source, entertainment, education resource, career network, marketplace, and more.

Ask yourself, does your social media presence factor into how you view yourself? When you post, what are your motivations? Is it for attention, networking, entertainment, boredom, or business?

We give so much of our time, information, and energy to these platforms. It’s important to evaluate what you are receiving in return and if it’s adding value to your life.

Your Digital Footprint is on You!